


Salt Just Adds Flavour

by WiseDawn13



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Cute little one shot, I swear, M/M, Roommates, Tsukki is a salty boi and I love him, Yamaguchi is the cutest bean that ever did bean, oh my god they were roommates, these boys will be the death of me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:09:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28694478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WiseDawn13/pseuds/WiseDawn13
Summary: AU where Tsukki and Yamaguchi meet for the first time in college, and Yamaguchi breaks through Tsukki's barriers.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 59





	Salt Just Adds Flavour

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote it from Tsukki's perspective (perspective is complex in writing lol) so I figured he would view himself as Kei, his first name. But Yamaguchi is just Yamaguchi because he doesn't feel close enough to go with first names for him, you feel?

Fear sucks. It paralyzes you. It holds you back. It keeps you from doing the things you want to do. But most of all, fear eats away at you little by little. You become so small, surrounded by the dark walls of fear, that you don’t know what to do anymore. You shut everything out, push people away, never dare to hope or dream. The only way to break free from the tight grasp of fear is to break through the walls. Or better yet, have someone else break through the walls for you; to get to you.

~

Tsukishima Kei has always been cold-hearted, blunt, and salty. He didn’t mind that people didn’t like him. That’s what he wanted. If you pushed people away, keep them at arm’s length, they can’t hurt you. Unfortunately for him, there was one person who never seemed to get the message.

Kei met Yamaguchi Tadashi in the first year of college. They were roommates. It wasn’t like Tadashi was a bad roommate – he was quiet, respectful, and organized – it was just his presence. He always seemed to be interested in getting to know Kei. If Kei were to describe Yamaguchi, he would have to say he was like a lost puppy.

Kei had no interest in talking with anyone, but especially with someone like Yamaguchi. He just seemed so weak and helpless, also he was annoyingly apologetic. Kei swore he heard Yamaguchi apologize to the table he stubbed his toe on. It was infuriating. How could someone have so much hope and be so forgiving? Yamaguchi was a pushover, and pushovers only ever get hurt. Kei knew that all too well.

As time went on, Yamaguchi always found a way to chat with Kei. He would always try to brush Yamaguchi off, but it never seemed to deter him. It got to the point where Yamaguchi would do things for Kei. Anyone else, Kei would’ve suspected them of wanting the upper hand, to use it as leverage to get Kei to do something for them. But surprisingly, Kei didn’t see that in Yamaguchi at all. The little voice at the back of his mind was still there, but it was quieter than usual.

One day, while Kei was busy studying, Yamaguchi came into their dorm and plopped a bag down on the desk in front of Kei. When questioned about it, Yamaguchi just told him to open it. Kei reached in and pulled out a velociraptor figurine. Yamaguchi said he found it in the college shop and immediately thought of him. He bought it for Kei so he could add it to his ever-growing dinosaur collection. Kei was at a loss for words, he merely thanked Yamaguchi and went back to studying. That was the dinosaur lit a fire in Kei, he didn’t realize it then, but that was the beginning of something beautiful and terrifying.

Kei became slightly more talkative with Yamaguchi, indulging in conversations every so often. He never got too deep, refused to get attached. Before Kei knew it, Yamaguchi was practically attached at his hip. He followed him around when he didn’t have class, he asked Kei to go places with him (Kei almost always refused), and Yamaguchi would even stand up in Kei’s honour when someone would say something bad about him.

The first time Yamaguchi stood up for him, Kei was so shocked he almost expressed something other than monotonous unamusement. He very quickly told Yamaguchi to just shut up and he walked away from the situation. Yamaguchi apologized right away and followed him. Kei was dumbfounded. Who was this person? Kei wondered why Yamaguchi didn’t hate him as everyone else did. It wasn’t like he was nice to him. He spent more time with Kei than anyone else right now, so why did he want to be around him? Why did he stand up for him? Why did he buy thoughtful gifts for him when he knew Kei wouldn’t buy him anything in return? Why did he care? Yamaguchi was too nice, and it scared him.

At some point, Yamaguchi had started calling Kei ‘Tsukki.’ He just let it happen because he knew that if he told him to stop, he would. Part of him liked that someone had a nickname for him, that someone seemed to care. He hated that part of himself. He hated that he wanted to get to know Yamaguchi and wanted Yamaguchi to know him. He hated that he knew Yamaguchi’s favourite food is soggy French fries, and his favourite movie is _Bruce Almighty_. He hated that to an outsider, they looked like friends. Because that’s what they were, right? They were friends, and Kei hated that. It terrified him.

Kei started to like the time he spent with Yamaguchi. He went to class one day without him and found that he actually missed having him around. He almost threw up that day. Kei found that he genuinely enjoyed Yamaguchi’s presence, he didn’t have to speak and that was nice. Most of the time, Yamaguchi was quiet. When he did talk, Kei found he didn’t hate it anymore either. The more time went on, the more Kei found that he enjoyed hearing Yamaguchi’s voice. The way he said ‘sorry.’ The sound of his laughter. The way his eyes lit up when he smiled.

No matter how hard Kei pushed those thoughts and feelings away, they always came rushing back. One little thought about Yamaguchi and everything he was trying to suppress would hit him all at once. He hated feeling things; it was so annoying and impractical, why did he have to go through this?

The school year was coming to an end, Kei was glad to get a bit of a break from all the work and the people. Despite everything he’d gone through this year with Yamaguchi, and how he felt, he decided it would be best to cut ties. No point in keeping in contact, it’s not like they’ll be roommates again the next year. Kei will be living on his own, no roommates.

He had thought over the conversation with Yamaguchi many times, thinking over all the possible outcomes. He cries, he says sorry, he leaves Kei alone. That was the gist of the outcomes he could think of. Never in a million years would he have predicted Yamaguchi’s actual reaction, or what he would end up doing.

When Kei told Yamaguchi, he figured it best that they don’t talk anymore, because what’s the point, Yamaguchi snapped. He grabbed Kei’s shirt and shoved him against the wall. Tears were brimming at his eyes, but they didn’t spill over.

“What the fuck, Tsukki!? What is your problem?” Yamaguchi’s voice was strained, Kei had never heard him speak so loudly or confidently. “When are you going to wake up and realize you can’t keep pushing everyone away like this? When are you going to start letting people into your life?” Yamaguchi loosened his grip on Kei’s shirt slightly, he stared into his eyes. “When are you finally going to let me in? You don’t have to be afraid anymore, I’m not going to hurt you, I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.” Kei knew that was true, based on the year he’d had trying to deter the man who now had him pinned against the wall. “Please,” Yamaguchi pleaded.

Kei stared at Yamaguchi in shock. No one had ever broken through his barriers before, he felt the walls crumbling around him. At this moment, fear was a thing of the past, a childish nightmare. All he could feel now was…

Kei kissed Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi pulled back in shock, tears finally falling down his face, he looked at Kei then kissed him back.

All he could feel now was love.

**Author's Note:**

> I did not make up the soggy french fries thing, that is canonically Yamaguchi's favourite food xD what a precious bean!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fic! I wrote it at 3 am because it wouldn't leave me alone to sleep, and I love it. I really enjoyed writing Tsukki's character and I hope to write more for him in the future! 
> 
> Feel free to reach out to me on tumblr: zuko-the-turtleduck or kageyamas-juice-box


End file.
